Laurel: To a place in the plan. Infrastructure development is always a popular touchstone with politicians, so it isn’t surprising when it gets brought up. It’s definitely nice to be remembered at budget time, however.
And that’s what happened with President Trump’s recent budget proposal. The plan includes $6 billion in discretionary funding for the Army Corps of Engineers. Listed in there is $103.1 million for the Corps’ Pittsburgh District civil works program for local locks and dams.
Maintaining those critical waterway components is a regular expense, but the 2021 line items do include an extra $4 million over 2020 fiscal year numbers.
Lance: To internal squabbling. It is bad enough that the Democrats are beating each other up in the presidential primary debates. Do we have to have local dust-ups, too?
Obviously, the endorsement process can be a bit contentious, with party leaders deciding to give their blessing to one candidate over another. However, things are getting uncomfortable in Allegheny County.
There is tension over some controversial selections, including the 34th District state House race in which Summer Lee — who beat out longtime incumbent Paul Costa in 2018 without the committee’s endorsement — was again shutout in favor of challenger Chris Roland. Committee leaders like Chairwoman Eileen Kelly are at odds with high-ranking Democratic officials like County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.
“This is a time when we should be unified and in solidarity because of this presidential election,” Kelly said.
Doesn’t look like that’s happening.
Laurel: To an important message. Mt. Pleasant High School students lost a classmate last year to suicide. Three students turned that tragedy into an effort to help others, and their work has been recognized.
Senior Jillian Gearhart and sophomores Ashlynn Scherer and Bryce Jaworski made a 60-second video dedicated to suicide prevention. It won a statewide contest sponsored by Prevent Suicide PA.
“Remember, you are not alone,” the video says.
Let us hope that message is received by those who need to hear it.
